YEREVAN. – If they are disseminating false statistics and are making analyses on the basis of these statistics, they pursue political objectives.     

Armenian National Statistical Service (NSS) Chief Stepan Mnatsakanyan stated the aforesaid on Wednesday at the National Assembly (NA), during the NA committees’ joint session devoted to the 2012 Budget performance report.

MP Edmon Marukyan had asked the reason for the existing distrust, among the Armenian public and professionals, toward statistics, and the reliability of the NSS data.     

Mnatsakanyan responded that they do not respond to political statements and, in his view, there are special ministries for that. 

“But if the situation becomes unendurable, if administrative proceedings are launched, we will provide all the grounds,” the statistical service head “threatened” the politicians.